Maine nahin kiya or maine hi kiya? What did Ganesh Palodhi’s father Siddhartha say at the narco-analysis test when asked whether he had killed his son?

The two sets of words may sound similar, especially when spoken by a person in a semi-conscious state, but mean exactly the opposite of each other.

According to police, Siddhartha has been arrested on the basis of his admission to the guilt — “maine hi kiya” — during the narco test in Bangalore on February 21.

But some officers fear that the case may slip out of their hands if the accused claims in court that he had said just the opposite — “maine nahin kiya”.

“We are yet to receive a detailed report about the test from Bangalore, but one thing is certain — transcription of Siddhartha’s statement depends a lot on what you make out of his pronunciation,” said a senior officer.

The prosecution pitch may further be queered, he added, if Siddhartha tells the court that he had been forced to undergo the narco test. “By the law, an accused has the right to refuse to go through a narco test... Given the circumstances, the case is not a cakewalk for us.”

Arrested on Monday last — almost two years after his four-year-old adopted son was found murdered — Siddhartha has been charged with plotting the murder to pocket Rs 4 lakh insured in Ganesh’s name.

Family sources, however, are now claiming that the nominee of the policy was Ganesh’s mother, not father.

Sleuths also fear that some key evidence may not be produced in court because of the delay in making the arrest.

In a related development, CID officers have decided to go slow with the next narco test. “A test involves a lot of money. We need to first assess whether it’s worth making the effort,” said an officer.